Phlox plant named ‘Wesposky’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Wesposky’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounting plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; white colored flowers with a light violet-colored central star pattern; and good garden performance.

Botanical Designation: Phlox hybrida.

Cultivar Denomination: ‘Wesposky’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox, botanically known as Phlox hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wesposky’.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely branching Phlox cultivars with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2004, in Südlohn, Germany, of a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identified as code number 04P005, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identified as code number 04P010, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wesposky has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wesposky’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wesposky’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period.     -   4. White-colored flowers with a light violet-colored central         star pattern.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have larger and lighter green-colored         leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more compact than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivar USPHL304, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,899. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar USPHL304 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact than plants of the         cultivar USPHL304.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than         plants of the cultivar USPHL304.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox had smaller flowers than plants of         the cultivar USPHL304.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar USPHL304 differed in         flower color as plants of the USPHL304 had lavender-colored         flowers with a white and purple-colored star pattern at the         center.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivar Astoria White, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar Astoria White in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than         plants of the cultivar Astoria White.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had larger leaves than plants of the         cultivar Astoria White.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar Astoria White         differed in flower color as plants of the Astoria White had         white-colored flowers

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wesposky’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 lux 50,000 lux. Rooted young plants were grown for about 20 weeks when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox hybrida cultivar Wesposky. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             hybrida identified as code number 04P005, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             hybrida identified as code number 04P010, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24             days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26             days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; color, close to 158A.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit;             outwardly spreading; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching             habit with lateral branches developing at every node;             pinching enchances branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm to 21 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 36 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 11.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.4 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: 144A to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple, sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 0.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 137A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 146A; venation, 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 146B; venation, 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single salverform flowers arranged in             terminal cymes; flowers face upward to outward. Freely             flowering habit with about nine flowers per cyme.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period;             continuously flowering from April to autumn in Germany.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: 150C.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6.9 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.55 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.64 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.3 cm. Lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing petal             lobes, upper surface: 155A; central star, N92C and 94C.             Developing petal lobes, lower surface: 11D. Fully expanded             petal lobes, upper surface: 155A; central star, N92C and             94C; color becoming closer to 155D with central star, 71A             and N74A with development. Fully expanded petal lobes, lower             surface: Close to 155. Eye: Between N92C and 94C. Throat:             145C to 145D. Tube: 160D slightly flushed with N79B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at base; tubular in shape. Length: About             8.1 mm. Width: About 0.95 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 0.9 cm to 1.7 cm. Diameter: About             1.9 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 144A to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm to 9 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B             to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2.2 mm. Anther width: About             0.1 mm. Anther color: 9A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: 13A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma             color: 145B; color becoming closer to 151C. Style length:             Less than 1 mm. Style color: 144C. Ovary color: 144C.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: Typically three. Length: About             3.1 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: N200A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Wesposky’ as illustrated and described. 